Ganondorf - Ganon
Ganondorf, also known as Ganon in his beast form, is the main antagonist and the final boss in the majority of Zelda games. In the series, Ganondorf is the leader of a race of desert brigands called the Gerudo, which consists entirely of female warriors save for one m an born every one hundred years. He is significantly taller than other human NPCs, but his looks vary between games. His specific motives vary from game to game, but most often his plans include him kidnapping Princess Zelda and planning to achieve domination of Hyrule and presumably the world beyond it. To this end, he seeks the Triforce, a powerful magical relic. He often possesses a portion of the Triforce called the Triforce of Power, which gives him great strength. However, it is often not enough to accomplish his ends, leading him to hunt the remaining Triforce pieces. Unlike Link, Zelda, and most other recurring characters, he is actually the same person in every game, with the exception of Four Swords Adventures, where he is a reincarnation of the original. In each game the battles with him are different and he fights using different styles. The game Skyward Sword indicates that Ganon is a reincarnation of an evil deity known as Demise. Ganon (spelled as Gannon in the original Legend of Zelda) was first given a back-story in A Link to the Past. The English version of the A Link to the Past instruction manual adds the surname Dragmire and the alias "Mandrag Ganon," which means "Ganon of the Enchanted Thieves". In the games, the character alternates between two forms: a massive boar-like creature and a tall, redheaded warlock. Ganondorf is the archenemy of Link and usually manipulates several other villains to accomplish his plans and ambitions. In most games he already possesses the Triforce of Power, which gives him godlike strength and boundless mystical power and makes him invulnerable to all but the most powerful holy weapons such as the Master Sword. However, Ganondorf's lust for power can never be satisfied, and he seeks the complete relic to grant his wish of world domination. The character has been very well received by critics and fans alike, becoming one of the most popular and recognizable villains in gaming. Ganon is depicted as the ultimate embodiment of pure evil and hatred. His roles range from savage beast to scheming tyrant to godlike entity, sometimes in the course of a single game. The book Hyrule Historia reveals that Ganon's hatred is so intense that he can survive even the total obliteration of his body and remain conscious. Despite these negative traits, he does show some knowledge of the fine arts, since he can play his own leitmotif on an organ in Ocarina of Time. Ganondorf is incredibly arrogant, believing himself to be completely invulnerable. Because of this he never considers anything to be a threat and appears to put minimal effort into fighting. Unsurprisingly, Ganondorf is often in total disbelief when he is defeated, once even bursting into laughter from having been outsmarted at the last second. He is not completely beyond sympathy, though. In The Wind Waker, Ganon admits his motives were once good, claiming to have sought the Triforce to allow the Gerudo Valley relief from its scorching desert wind. Zelda also expresses pity for him in Ocarina of Time, for trying to steal the Triforce when its power was too great for him to control. He is portrayed in Ocarina of Time as an ambitious, cunning manipulator, gaining the king's trust before betraying him and tricking Link into opening the Door of Time, which allows him to access the Triforce. In Twilight Princess, Ganondorf is stated to have been known as a demon thief and an evil magic wielder renowned for his ruthlessness. When he obtains the Triforce of Power, then he develops a conscienceless god-complex, believing himself to have been chosen by the goddesses who created Hyrule to be its ruler. In Wind Waker, Ganon is much older and prepares for the circumstances that have defeated him before, ordering the capture of girls thought to be Zelda and depowering the Master Sword so that it cannot be used against him. Ganon is a formidable sorcerer, able to use magic to attack as well as shapeshift, and he is skilled enough a swordsman to combat Link. Despite his size, Ganondorf is incredibly agile, and is not only capable of dodging sword attacks but arrows as well. The Triforce of Power, a magical relic of the Golden Goddesses, makes Ganon stronger, also granting him powers such as transvection, teleportation, and superhuman strength. Further, the Triforce piece grants him immortality: he never shows signs of aging and is invulnerable to everything but his own magic and the light arrows, even then Ganondorf can only be dealt the final blow with the Master Sword. He has survived events as severe as having an entire castle collapse on him and being impaled by a sword. Once drastically injured, he can be magically imprisoned by divine intervention, but this is often not effective, since he can escape. If he is actually killed, his followers may resurrect him. Even if his followers are not able to revive him, he may reincarnate. Only sacred weapons such as the Master Sword can hurt Ganon, however it is possible to harm Ganondorf by deflecting his own magic back at him in Ocarina of Time. Sources: Ganon Characters in Legend of Zelda series The Legend of Zelda Category:The Legend of Zelda Category:Villains/Bosses